“Those Who Cannot Learn from History Are Doomed to Repeat It"/"Los Que No Pueden Aprender de la Historia Son Condenados Para Repetirla."

Authors

Gil Villagran, San Jose State UniversityFollow

Publication Date

January 2007

Document Type

Popular Press

Publication Title

El Observador

Abstract

The early 1900s Spanish philosopher, Harvard graduate and professor George Santayana wisely coined this often quoted proverb: “Those who cannot learn from history are doomed to repeat it,” as he reflected on World War I, the “war to end all wars;” a war of choice whose peace treaty led to World War II just 21 years later with twice the deaths at 50 million. Then came Korea, Vietnam, the killing fields of Cambodia, civil wars and death squads in Latin America, ethnic cleansing in the former Yugoslavia, a frenzy of ethnic killing in Rwanda, and countless brutalities in countless locations. The 20th century’s death toll from war is unmatched in human history—so far. In English and Spanish

Comments

Courtesy of El Observador (EO), San Jose, CA; website: <www.el-observador.com>
This article also appeared in Indybay (December 18, 2008) at https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2009/03/21/18580054.php

Recommended Citation

Gil Villagran. "“Those Who Cannot Learn from History Are Doomed to Repeat It"/"Los Que No Pueden Aprender de la Historia Son Condenados Para Repetirla."" El Observador (2007).